McCain employees look at option of vegetable co-op

Employees at the McCain vegetable processing plant in north-west Tasmania are hopeful that a co-operative could be created to ensure jobs are not lost.

McCain announced last week that, while their Smithton potato processing plant will remain open, the vegetable processing plant in the same area will be shut as they move the operation to New Zealand.

One of the workers impacted, David Murphy, told the ABC that employees would be supportive of a community-run plant.

“It’d be nice to think the Government might think of an option along those lines that might help us workers to stay here,” he said.

Premier David Bartlett says he will consider a co-operative, with a government taskforce due to release a report on job ideas for the area within the next few weeks. Mr Bartlett is also due to visit McCain executives in Melbourne on Friday in a bid to change their mind.